by Joseph Davis, Contributing Writer
Every once in a while, I find movies that seem to come out of the woodwork as worth taking a look at for Out of Market. Sometimes, these movies don’t end up feeling right for me, but often feel right for a wider audience to give a chance. Other times, the action and direction of the movie keeps me intrigued in such a way where I’m curious what happens next. However, there are still others that manage to grab my attention and really begin to tug at my heartstrings, often in ways that I never really expected them to. This last sect of movies is where I find myself with this edition of Out of Market, with the 2024 Italian film The Children’s Train. Set in postwar Italy, from the very beginning, you can feel a tug of emotion as the premise is laid before you, and by the end, it’s hard not to shed a tear.
First, I want to discuss the film’s setting. It carries the same weight as the 1947 film Shoeshine, and in a similar vein the 1949 Italian film Bicycle Thieves, as all three films are set in Italy immediately after the end of World War II. And it takes a unique angle on depicting the postwar hardships many faced, as a mother living in Naples decides if she is going to send hers on Amerigo onboard a “train of happiness” organized by the Italian Communist Party. The historical basis of this movie makes the characters’ decisions feel even more authentic. The pain in the heart and eyes of our characters as they make the decision to send Amerigo, along with the children of Naples, to northern Italy for the winter affects both the people who live in the city, and of those who take on the care of our characters. This aspect of the film also shows a lot regarding the uncertainty of the future during this time, especially with the looming threat of the Cold War on the horizon.
The story is probably the part of the movie that genuinely sells itself to me. It’s a beautiful, and in many ways, is heartwarming yet heartbreaking. One woman makes an impossible choice that affects the future of her child, and while she is not the focus of the film, her decision ultimately affects its trajectory. It’s also clear that Amerigo is quite gifted, and just needs an opportunity to use his gifts. With how the film opens, we know almost immediately how his story ends, but you don’t truly understand the emotions he carries later in the film, as during his time with his “Northern family,” you can really see the way he bonds with those who he ultimately lives with.
While there are definitely movies that give you an emotional tug at the heart, it’s far more difficult to have a movie that really moves you. But The Children’s Train definitely does, and it shows that there is more to someone being family than blood alone.
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